97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School

by Steven Jenkins, Erika Stalder

Overview

Being in high school is about a lot more than going to high school.

It's about discovering new places, new hobbies, and new people—and opening your eyes to the world. This book is about the stuff they don't teach you in high school, like how to host a film festival, plan your first road trip, make a podcast, or write a manifesto. Want to make a time capsule? Spend a day in silence? Learn how to make beats like a DJ? Or shut down your house party before the police do?

Whatever your creative, social, or academic inclinations, you'll find 97 ways on these pages to amuse, educate, and interest yourself, and your friends. Because your life doesn't stop at 3pm each day—it just gets started.

"Make your high school experience the best possible with this brilliant book." –Justine Magazine

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780979017308
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2008
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	221,621
Product dimensions:	(w) x (h) x 0.51(d)
Lexile:	1260L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Steven Jenkins is a San Francisco-based cultural critic whose writings on film, music, art, and literature appear in national periodicals, exhibition catalogues, and artist monographs. He is the author of City Slivers and Fresh Kills: The Films of Gordon Matta-Clark and Model Culture: James Casebere, Photographs 1975-1996.

Erika Stalder is an author, advice columnist, and blogger who writes about teen life, lust, and adventures behind the wheel. She's all about helping teen girls find and develop their passions so they can become happy, fulfilled, kick-ass women. She's also all about bacon. Mmmm, bacon.

Read an Excerpt

97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School

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By Erika Stalder

Zest Books

Copyright © 2008 Erika Stalder
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780979017308

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Redo Your Room

Face it — your bedroom is the only place you can call your own. It should reflect your ideology, personality, and charm. But who chose the furniture, wallpaper, and paint? Were these stylistic atrocities forced on you by clueless decorators whose ideas of cool were ballerina figurines and tiger-striped throw pillows? Reclaim this precious space by redecorating. All it takes to transform your bedroom is some ingenuity and a little (very little) cash. Even if a complete overhaul isn’t possible right now, you can style your space with personal touches to make it unmistakably yours.

How to Do It

1. First, clean up. It’s a drag, but that’s the only way to get a good look at the space. To redesign, you need some room to experiment. Free up space by moving out things you no longer want or need. (Keep your "out pile" around until you are totally finished because you may re-use that stuff for other purposes.)

2. Once you have a partially blank slate, start putting your stamp on your stomping grounds. Think about who you are and make your design reflect that person. If you’re a sports nut, pick out memorabilia from your favorite team. Music lovers can frame old record albums and create a grid of classic covers. Maps of the world and a cool collection of international postcards work for travel lovers and adventure seekers.

143. After redecorating, revisit the stuff you took out. Can you do something to wake up that old bookshelf or nightstand? Try throwing colorful fabrics on chipped tabletops, or sanding and staining old furniture to make it look new.

4. When you’re done, responsibly throw away, donate, sell, or recycle whatever you can’t use.

Now, your room is your own personal creative space and the refuge from the outside world that it is supposed to be!

Continues...

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Excerpted from 97 Things to Do Before You Finish High School by Erika Stalder Copyright © 2008 by Erika Stalder. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

Winner: NAPPA Honors Award

From the Publisher

Gives concrete examples and lessons that will serve during the high school years and beyond.

Carolina Parent

This clever title encourages teens to accomplish tasks that will expand their horizons.

Nashville Parent